


Freshman Year

by dragonpotter



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Goranski father can not, Headcanon, How Do I Tag, Implied richjake, Past Events, Pre-Canon, Pre-Squip Rich Goranski, Rich Goranski's Lisp, Rich's brother is a good dude, Take my trash, he's trying ok
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-01
Updated: 2019-02-01
Packaged: 2019-10-10 05:23:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17419874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonpotter/pseuds/dragonpotter
Summary: There had to be a reason that Shane Gorman of all people talked to him. Shane was the most popular senior in Middleborough. Rich didn't understand why anyone would talk to a sad, lame freshman like him. Especially Shane Gorman. Rich was just trying to get through high school in one piece. But, he figured, as long as he was polite and didn't say anything too particularly weird, he'd probably come out ok.Which he did, but that didn't stop the conversation from being any stranger than it was.





	Freshman Year

**Author's Note:**

> this took way too long to write hhhhhhhh

There had to be a reason that Shane Gorman of all people talked to him. Shane was  **the** most popular senior in Middleborough. Rich didn't understand why anyone would talk to a sad, lame freshman like him. Especially Shane Gorman. Rich was just trying to get through high school in one piece. But, he figured, as long as he was polite and didn't say anything too particularly weird, he'd probably come out ok.

Which he did, but that didn't stop the conversation from being any stranger than it was.

* * *

_"Kid, all year I've noticed you more than you think,"_ Shane had said.  _"And I think you're a cool little dude."_

_"Wh-what?"_

_"How would you like to be the most popular sophomore when September hits?"_

Rich wasn't sure what to make of the question.

 _"Of courth,"_  Rich cringed at his lisp. _"I'd like it, but-"_

_"But what?"_

_"It'd never happen. Not with all...thith," Rich gestured at himself._

That's when Shane something that made even less sense to Rich.

_"Ever heard of a SQUIP?"_

_"Thquid? Of course I ha-"_

_"Not squid. SQUIP. It's a supercomputer that can help you. It's small enough for you to swallow it, and when it reaches your brain, it talks directly to you!"_

_"I...I don't think that'th pothible-"_

_"But it is!"_ Shane had interrupted.  _"Listen, if you're interested, stop by Payless sometime. My co-worker and I sell them to people who ask about them."_

* * *

Then Shane just walked away. It was definitely the strangest interaction Rich had been apart of. He couldn't quite get it out of his mind. Even when he sat down to do some homework, he found it harder to concentrate than usual. Was it possible? A computer that could help him become popular? That'd be pretty cool...

No. It wasn't real. It couldn't be real! It was definitely just a prank.

Of course.

Rich stared at the science paper in front of him. Despite being great at math, he absolutely hated science. It just never clicked with him. He never understood. 

He never understood anything anymore, though.

Rich's train of thought was suddenly interrupted by a knock on his door.

"Yeth?"

His brother opened the door and stuck his head in slightly. 

"Hey, Rich? Dinner's ready. Robin's setting the table. Be down in a few?"

"Ok, Ryan," Rich nodded.

Rich slammed his binder shut and left his room for the first time since he got home. Coming down the stairs, he saw his younger sister rearranging the silverware, his brother setting down a pot of spaghetti, and his father just sitting there. Probably already drunk.

Rich timidly sat down at the table, staring at his empty plate. Robin poured him a glass of iced tea.

"Thank you..." Rich muttered.

Robin nodded and sat down. Ryan glanced at both of them, at their father, then back to Rich and Robin. Ryan's smile was tight, as though he'd been stressed all day. Rich didn't blame him, and he doubted Robin did either. It had been a year or two since their father started drinking so often. Since then, Ryan had been the head of the family instead of him, Robin had refused to speak around or directly of him, and Rich had just been growing more and more stressed and depressed.

They didn't have it great, but at least the Goranski siblings had each other.

"So, uh...Rich," Ryan said, "I haven't seen you all day. How have you been?"

"Fine..."

Silence. Long, awkward, earsplitting silence.

Ryan looked at Robin.

"So, Ro, you're almost done with seventh grade. How's that feel?"

Robin shrugged.

"Well, how is state testing going?"

Robin timidly showed off a thumbs-up before beginning to pick at her food again.

Ryan glanced at their father again, trying to get him to say something,  **anything.**

Nothing. Sigh.

Rich tried to break the silence.

"Uh, thank you for making the thpaghetti, Ryan," he said quietly. "I think it it'th great."

"You still talking like a damn kid, Richard?" Mr. Goranski finally spoke up.

Rich looked down and began picking at a noodle. 

"Dad!" Ryan said under his breath. He turned back to Rich. "It's no problem. I know you and Ro both like spaghetti so I figured I'd try-"

"I was talking to the little brat," Mr. Goranski interrupted.

Rich stared at his glass of tea.

"Well?"

Rich took a shaky breath.

"You know, Dad, maybe if you payed for thpeech therapy like you thaid you would I wouldn't talk like thith."

Rich watched in silence as his dad downed what was left of his beer. He looked at Ryan. 

"May I be excuthed?"

Ryan nodded and Rich got up from his seat and ran off as quickly as he could, not looking back.

* * *

"Dude, were you ok last night? You didn't respond to my texts at all last night!"

Rich appreciated Jake. He was his only real friend at school, but Jake seemed to genuinely care for Rich. He had helped through the past couple years, was always there to talk, and was just generally a good person to Rich. He had other friends, he was oddly popular, but Jake always spent as much time as he could with Rich.

_God, he's great._

"Rich?"

"Oh uh...thorry, Jake..." Rich mumbled. "The texts, I. uh...there wath jutht thingth latht night," he cringed at his lisp. "And I had a lot of homework, tho, um..."

"Rich?"

Rich knew there would be something else. Jake was concerned, he could tell. If Jake pressed, it would be fine, he guessed, but...some shit went down with Ryan and their father after dinner. He didn't want to think about it. He could still kind of hear his father's yelling.

"Rich? What happened last night?"

Rich didn't say anything for a few seconds.

"It's Dad," he finally replied. "He was drunk again last night. He got really pithed at Ryan over nothing and kicked him out overnight. In the middle of the frigging night! With nowhere else to thtay!"

"He's coming back tonight, right?"

"I DON'T EVEN KNOW! I HAVEN'T THEEN HIM ALL DAY!"

Half the cafeteria stopped to look up. 300 pairs of eyes were staring at the two freshmen.

Rich's face darkened as he looked down.

"Great," he muttered. "Now if I remembered at all next semester, I'll be that kid had a breakdown in cafeteria in the last full week of May," He sunk even lower into his seat. "...or the lith...lithpy...you know..."

Jake grabbed Rich's shoulders and turned him to face him. 

"Listen, Rich, this will pass. People will forget this by tomorrow. Ryan will get home. One day, you'll be able to move out of your dad's place and get a start on your life. Things will be ok eventually, trust me."

"What about Robin? I couldn't leave her behind like that!"

"You can take Robin with you," Jake assured him. "Listen, Rich, things will be fine one day. Just you wait."

"You think tho?"

"I know so," Jake smiled.

Rich really appreciated Jake.

* * *

Ryan came home later that day. Thank god. Rich would have been panicking so much more if he couldn't make it home. Mr. Goranski refused to speak to any of his children that night. Especially Ryan. Why he was so much worse than usual...Rich wasn't entirely sure. But as soon as Ryan came in through the backdoor after work, Rich and Robin ran straight for him to embrace him. Robin was crying a little.

"Hey," Rich greeted him. "Welcome back."

Ryan smiled at them sadly. The three of them went upstairs and entered Ryan's room. 

"Today was payday." Ryan said.

That was always good for the three of them. Ryan had a jar of money in his closet that all three of them would add to whenever they had any spare money at all. They were all collectively saving to move out. As it should be. They all needed to be with each other in the next few years.

Ryan opened the jar. It was still barely halfway full. He took his wallet out of his pocket and added eighteen dollars to the jar. Damn minimum wage. Damn two hour shifts.

"So how much does that make it?" Robin asked.

"One hundred and one dollars and sixteen cents," Ryan replied.

The three were all silent for a moment.

"Rich," Robin suddenly said, "can you come look at my math homework?"

"Ok,"

They walked across the hall to Rich's room. He opened the door for her.

"Ok, Ro," Rich said, motioning for her to sit on his bed. "Let me thee it, I can help."

 Robin clutched her backpack to her chest.

"Ro?"

"It wasn't just about the homework. Rich, I think...he's gonna try to kick you out next."

'He.' The most Robin would ever even refer to their father anymore.

"Ro, I wouldn't worry-" 

"But what if..."

Rich was trying to stay positive. For Jake. For Ryan and Robin. For himself.

"Robin, thingth'll be ok,"

"Did you actually hear the argument last night?"

"It's hard to understand people when they're yelling, downthtairth, one of them is drunk, and you're trying to jutht listen to thome muthic."

Robin looked at her brother.

"Ryan was asking about why your lisp was such a problem. He said he just wanted to help you. That's when the fully argument broke out. Ryan kept trying to make arguments for your sake but..." she sighed. "You know..."

Rich growled under his breath. That was the full story? How petty could his dad even be?

"Well, that'th just thtupid." Rich muttered. "Trying to get rid of him over nothing."

"I guess...but Rich," Robin said worriedly, "what if he comes for you next? Because of the lisp?"

"It'll be fine, Ro,"

"You think so?"

Rich remembered how Jake had had to talk to him today, too.

"I know tho," he answered. "Now let me thee that math homework."

* * *

"Wait! Shane Gorman made you some kind of offer, and you're  _JUST NOW_ telling me about it?!"

"Yeth, Jake! I know! I'm thorry!" Rich loudly apologized. "It'th just been...out of mind for a bit..."

"How so?" Jake asked.

"Just...thingth going on at home. Haven't really had the time to consider it, if it'th real anyway,"

"Things?"

"Jutht things,"

Jake didn't ask about it again. Rich liked he didn't push.

_God he's great._

"That computer though...Thane called it a...thquid?" Rich muttered

"A...what?"

"No...not thquid..." Rich whispered.

"Did he even say how much it was? How it worked?"

Rich sighed. "No..."

Rich heard the backdoor open. His dad was probably home. He chose to ignore it.

Rich lay down on the bed.

"What do you think, Jake? The thtory ith legit?"

"I dunno," the other fifteen year old replied. "Have you heard anything else about it?"

"No," Rich replied. "I can't even find much info about it on Google."

"Weird..."

Rich groaned.

"Maybe it wath all thome weird prank and I'm being played. Wouldn't be out of the ordinary at all."

Before either of them could say anything else, Robin suddenly started crying loudly. Rich and Jake ran downstairs to find Mr. Goranski passed out on the floor, a chair missing a leg, and Robin's face red with tears.

Rich ran straight for her while Jake cleaned up the mess.

"Ro, what happened?" Rich asked.

"He started yelling. He said Mom would be disappointed in us and that we three kids were disgraceful mistakes. Said some awful things about you and Ryan...then I'm not even sure. I think he was going to try to throw the chair before blacking out."

Rich looked at his father. Definitely drunk again. He'd never done anything this violent before, though.

He looked back at Robin.

"I'll call Ryan. Jake, could you call an ambulanthe?"

* * *

On the car ride back from the hospital, all four students were silent. Ryan turned the radio on, occasionally switching stations absentmindedly. Robin stared out the window blankly. Rich and Jake sat in the back in shock and horror.

The doctor said he's be fine. That Mr. Goranski did have a cut in his head and he'd need stitches, but he'd live. Rich hoped something would happen for someone to know Mr. Goranski was drunk all the time and could somehow fix that.

If things could just fix themselves like that.

"Rich," Jake whispered. "Is he always like that?"

"Not uthually that aggrethive. Usually he jutht yellth at uth for a bit." Rich whispered back.

"Why do you stick around with him?"

"Becauthe," Rich repeated, "he'th not uthually like that. Bethideth," (he winced at realizing his lisp was probably ruining this whole conversation) "we don't really have anywhere elthe to go. And Ryan turns 18 in July, tho thoon he'll be an adult and can help around a bit more to get uth out of here."

"Rich, I don't think you could stand three more years of school with him."

"I'll move in with Ryan after he beginth college. Robin will, too."

"Rich," Jake pressed.

The car pulled in to the Goranski driveway. 

"I wonder if that computer can make your home life better, too..." Rich muttered.

* * *

"Sure," Shane said. "It'll help you with whatever you set it too,"

"What hath yourth done for you?"

"It's helped me with homework, gave self care tips-"

"But did it do anything big?" Rich asked.

"I'll tell you something not many people know about me," Shane said, "before I got my SQUIP, I was a bit like you. Rarely noticed, small social life, and just..." he took a deep breath, laughing slightly, "...an emotional mess." he finished.

Rich didn't argue. It was true. He himself was those things.

"After I took my SQUIP, the first thing it did was help me rise to the top of the school's food chain." Shane continued. "It really does it's best to help."

"Tho if I athk it to help thtand up to my dad..."

"It could help come up with something, yes."

Rich decided that maybe the risk was worth it.

"How much will you charge me for one?"

* * *

Shane's coworker had originally said $400, but Shane gave it to him for ten.

"Because I think you deserve to have it a bit easier, so I'll get you started easily," Shane had said. 

Rich looked at this so-called computer. It was a small, grey oblong shaped pill. It looked more like some weird experimental drug to him.

"Here," Shane said, handing him a can of Mountain Dew, "on me. You'll need this to activate it."

Rich grabbed the can and looked up to the much taller senior, smiling slightly.

"Thank you," he said softly.

Shane nodded and walked back into the store.

"Here goeth nothing..." Rich murmured.

He popped the SQUIP in his mouth and took a gulp of the soda.

Searing pain surged through Rich's head for a split second before he heard a voice ring in his ears.

_**Accessing neural memory** _

_**Accessing muscle memory** _

_**Access procedure complete.** _

A hazy form began to appear in front of him

**_Richard Goranski_ **

**_Welcome to your super quantum unit intel processor_ **

 

**_Your SQUIP._ **

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hope that was enjoyable and not crappy hhhhhh
> 
> I will admit things that Mr. Goranski did were semi-inspired by some things my dad did when he lived with us but he doesn't now so i guess things are a bit better i guess.
> 
>  
> 
> that got dark quick.
> 
>  
> 
> Anyway, thank you for reading this! This took me nearly three weeks to finish! I'm glad it's finally out there!


End file.
